Tongue-support for vehicles



(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ZAOHARIAH MELTON HAM, OF MIN EOLA, TEXAS.

TONGUE-SUPPORT FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,122, dated August 2 1886.

Application filed May '7, 1886. Serial No. 201,469. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ZAOHARIAH MELToN HAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mineola, in the county of Wood and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tongue-Supports for Vehicles, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in I tongue-supports for vehicles; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the 01 rims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line a: a: of Fig. 1.

A represents the front axle, and B represents the hounds which are secured thereto in the usual way. The tongue 0 is pivoted between the front ends of the hounds, upon a bolt, D.

The object of my invention is to provide a spring for bearing downwardly upon the rear end of the tongue, and thereby raising and supporting the front end thereof, to relieve the horses necks of the weight of the tongue, and thereby enable them to draw the wagon more readily,andwithless exertion. This objectIattain by the construction hereinafter described.

E represents metallic straps, which are bolted to the hounds, on the outer sides thereof, and at a suitable distance from their front ends. The upper ends of these straps project vertically above the hounds, forming ears 6, having horizontal slotted openings 6. Through the rear end of the tongue 0 passes a vertical bolt, F, the shank of which is screw-threaded, and the head of which, on the upper end of the bolt, is provided with a clip or saddle, f. On the upper portion of the shank, above the rear end of the tongue, is a nut, f, and on the lower end of the shank, below the rear end of the tongue, is a similar nut, f

G represents a flat leaf-spring, the ends of which pass through the openings 0 in the clips, and are secured thereto by having one end of the spring bent at right angles, at g, to bear against the clip, and the other end provided with an opening, 9, through which passes a pin, 9', that bears against the outer side of the opposite clip, and the spring is thus prevented from working longitudinally in either direction and becoming disengaged from the clips. The central portion of the spring is curved downwardly, and bears in the saddlef upon the rear end of the tongue, thereby raising and supporting the front end thereof. By adjusting the nutsf and f vertically on the threaded shank of the bolt F the outer end of the tongue may be raised or lowered to any desired elevation, as will be very readily understood.

A tongue-supporter thus constructed is cheap and simple, is very strong and durable, is not likely to get out of order, and relieves the horses necks from the weight of the tongue, and thereby renders it easier for them the adjusting clamping-nuts, whereby the saddle may be adjusted vertically on the tongue,the clips E, attached to the hounds and having the vertical ears 6, provided with the slots 6, and the spring G, having its ends secured in theslots c, and its central portion bearing on the saddle, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ZACHARIAH MELTON HAM.

Witnesses:

JAMES M. HILTON, A. T. SMITH. 

